Millennium Tower (San Francisco) facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Quick facts for kids Millennium Tower
Millennium Tower as viewed from Salesforce Park in October 2019
General information
Type	Residential condominiums
Location	301 Mission Street San Francisco, California
Coordinates	37°47′25″N 122°23′46″W / 37.7904°N 122.3961°W / 37.7904; -122.3961
Construction started	2005
Completed	2009
Opening	April 23, 2009
Cost	US$350 million
Owner	Mission Street Development, LLC
Height
Antenna spire	645 ft (197 m)
Roof	605 ft (184 m)
Top floor	592 ft (180 m)
Technical details
Floor count	58
Floor area	1,151,017 sq ft (106,933.0 m²)
Lifts/elevators	12
Design and construction
Architect	Handel Architects
Developer	Millennium Partners
Structural engineer	DeSimone Consulting Engineers
Main contractor	Webcor Builders
Other information
Number of units	419

The Millennium Tower is a very tall residential building in San Francisco, California. It is located in the downtown area, in a neighborhood called South of Market. This building is mostly for homes, and it's the tallest residential building in San Francisco. It's also the 6th tallest building overall in the city!

The building officially opened on April 23, 2009. It actually has two parts: a smaller 12-story building and the main Millennium Tower, which is 58 stories tall. The main tower reaches about 645 feet (197 meters) into the sky. Both buildings have a modern look with blue-gray glass. They are surrounded by Mission, Fremont, and Beale Streets.

In total, the project has 419 homes. Most of these are in the big tower. The main tower has 58 floors, but the highest floor is called the 60th. This is because floors 13 and 44 are skipped due to old superstitions.

In 2016, people found out that the main tower was both sinking and tilting. This caused a lot of discussion and efforts to fix the problem.

About the Millennium Tower
Tower History
The Sinking and Tilting Problem
- How the Problem Was Found
- Fixing the Tower
Awards Received
Famous People Who Lived There
Gallery
See also

About the Millennium Tower

This amazing building cost about $350 million to build. It was created by Millennium Partners and designed by Handel Architects. The engineers who made sure it was strong were DeSimone Consulting Engineers. Webcor Builders constructed it.

At 645 feet (197 meters), it is the tallest concrete building in San Francisco. When it was finished, it was also the tallest residential building west of the Mississippi River. The tower is quite slim, with each floor having about 14,000 square feet (1,300 square meters) of space.

Besides the 58-story main tower, there's also a smaller 11-story tower. It stands about 125 feet (38 meters) tall. Between these two towers, there is a two-story glass area called an atrium. This atrium is about 43 feet (13 meters) high.

The homes in the Millennium Tower are known for being very expensive. For example, one of the top homes sold for $13 million in 2016. The lower floors of the main tower are called "Residences." The floors from 26 to the top are called "Grand Residences." The 53 homes in the smaller 12-story tower are called "City Residences."

Below the street, there's a five-level underground parking garage. It has space for 434 cars. The building is also right next to the Transbay Transit Center. The tower's design looks like a clear crystal. It's a key landmark for the area.

The Millennium Tower also has a restaurant and wine bar called RN74 on its ground floor.

Tower History

The Millennium Tower in August 2016

Millennium Partners first suggested building this tower in 2002. The plan included homes and hotel rooms. The city approved the project in 2003, and construction started in 2005.

On September 6, 2010, a famous climber named Dan Goodwin climbed the outside of the tower. He used suction cups to go up the building. After his climb, the police arrested him for trespassing.

By 2013, all the homes in the building were sold. This brought in a total of $750 million.

The Sinking and Tilting Problem

How the Problem Was Found

The TTC being built next to the tower in 2017

In 2015, the builders told officials that the tower was sinking and tilting. The public found out about this problem in 2016. The building's foundation uses concrete piles that go 60 to 90 feet (18 to 27 meters) deep. These piles go through soft mud and into dense sand. Other buildings nearby use similar foundations. However, some buildings have piles that go much deeper, about 200 feet (61 meters), into the solid bedrock.

In 2016, checks showed the building had sunk about 16 inches (41 cm). It also had a tilt of about 2 inches (5 cm) at the bottom. At the very top, the tilt was about 6 inches (15 cm). The building was leaning towards the northwest. This caused cracks in the basement and the ground around the tower. By 2018, the sinking had increased to 18 inches (46 cm). The lean was then about 14 inches (36 cm). In 2022, the tilt at the roof was about 28 inches (71 cm).

The builders of the Millennium Tower said the problem was caused by the Transbay Joint Powers Authority (TJPA). This group was building the nearby Transbay Transit Center (TTC). However, reports showed the tower had already sunk a lot before the TTC construction even began. The TJPA said the building had already sunk 10 inches (25 cm) by 2011. This was more than the 5.5 inches (14 cm) it was expected to sink in 20 years.

Many people involved, including the homeowners and the city, disagreed about who was responsible. They filed lawsuits to figure out who should pay for the repairs.

In 2017, city officials checked the building. They said it was still safe for people to live in. However, there was damage to the foundation and electrical system.

In September 2018, residents heard loud "creaking sounds." One resident found a cracked window on the 36th floor. The windows are designed to be very strong. This made people worry that the crack was a sign of a bigger problem with the building's structure.

In March 2023, during a windstorm, pieces of glass fell from the tower. These pieces shattered near people on Mission Street. Luckily, no one was hurt.

A person holding a piece of glass that fell from a window in March 2023.

Fixing the Tower

A new pile being installed at the Millennium Tower to help fix the sinking.

In December 2018, engineers announced a plan to fix the tower. The solution involved putting 52 new piles deep into the bedrock. These piles would go down 250 feet (76 meters). They would be connected to the original foundation piles. The idea was that about half of the tilt could be corrected over 10 years. This would happen as the building slowly settled back into place. Once it was more level, the remaining sides would also be anchored to the bedrock. This would permanently solve the sinking and tilting.

The fix was estimated to cost about $100 million. Some of the money, $30 million, came from taxpayers.

The repair project began in November 2020. However, in August 2021, the work was stopped. This was because the building had unexpectedly sunk another inch on one side after 39 of the 52 piles were installed. This extra sinking meant the 58th floor leaned an additional 5 inches (13 cm). City officials told the tower management to stop work until they had a new plan.

In August 2022, San Francisco officials approved a smaller repair plan. Instead of 52 piles, only 18 piles would be used. These piles would anchor the building to the bedrock on the sides where it leaned the most. This revised plan was completed in June 2023.

Awards Received

The Millennium Tower has won several awards from engineering and architecture groups:

2008: American Concrete Institute Awards, Northern California – Construction
2008: Concrete Industry Board – Roger H. CIB Award of Merit
2009: American Society of Civil Engineers, Region 9 – Structural Engineering Project of the Year
2008: American Society of Civil Engineers, San Francisco Section – Outstanding Structural Engineering Project
2009: Metal Architecture Magazine – April 2009 edition Top Honor
2009: California Construction – Outstanding Project Management
2009: California Construction – Multi-family/Residential, Award of Merit
2010: San Francisco Business Times – Deal of the Year Award
2010: San Francisco Chamber of Commerce Excellence in Business Awards – Building San Francisco Award